Enter Duke
by Lady DuCaine
Summary: A thief arrives on the scene to help get the strike force off the ground.


Title: Enter Duke.

Summary: A thief arrives on the scene to help get the strike force off the ground.

Author: Kaladan Flashblade

Feedback: Constructive reviews alright, flamers can keep their hands silent.

Archive: Archive is okay, if you ask me first.

Rating: PG

Pairing: none mentioned.

Main Character(s): The members of the cartoon show The Mighty Ducks and my new characters.

Disclaimer: I'm not making any money out of writing these stories. No harm will come to them. Please don't accuse me of trying to harm them. The necromancer in this story only appeared to Duke no one else saw him. That is why he only gave food to Duke.

** Enter Duke.**

**A thief arrives on the scene to help get the strike force off the ground.**

Duke looked down from the roof trying to catch his breath, he'd have to remember not to steal from a Necromancer again, those black skeletons were a pain to lose, but on the bright side he had something he could use to barter for rations to help those hiding from the Saurians. He looked over his shoulder just to make sure the skeletons hadn't found him. He wasn't sure how long he could continue this but he had to, he may be a thief but at least he wasn't selfish.

He knew he needed to get to those who were hiding from the Saurians before they moved again to give them the food that he stole. The refugees moved every morning from their nightly hiding area. They never stay in one area for long. Even he never stayed long in one local, a thief never did.

Duke rushed off into the shadows of the alley and headed for the refugee night camp. A few of the refugees owned guns or stole them from Saurians that they attacked and killed, a voice whispered, "Who goes there?"

"It's Duke L'Orange, I have food with me," whispered Duke, as the refugee emerged from the shadows with the gun raised, when he saw Duke's face. Duke was waved into the area.

"We thought you wouldn't make it? What took so long this time?"

"I had to loose some black skeletons."

One of the men shuddered. "Necromancers got to hate them, but at least they're holding their own."

"True," said Duke, as he handed out what food he pulled from his bag.

"I overheard couple of them talking about a rebellion, didn't hear much but I doubt anyone could overthrow the Saurians," spoke one of the ducks.

"It would take a miracle or at least bring Drake DuCaine back from the dead to defeat them," said another duck.

Duke had to agree, the Saurians had caught the planet off guard and except for a couple areas, and the entire planet was under their control.

A black feathered, black haired male, with gold eyes, spoke up from the shadows. "Beating the Saurians isn't impossible; it would just take this world's best."

One of the ducks with a gun pointed it at him. "I don't see you fighting the Saurians."

"I'm a Necromancer, despite what the Ancients might say about us, we use our powers to defend, not attack, and it is against our rules."

Duke gulped, he hoped this guy wasn't the Necromancer he stole from. The golden eyes locked onto Duke's and the Necromancer shook his head. Duke was relieved as he turned away from the Necromancer to hand out more food to the ducks who came forth to get the food.

The black feathered Necromancer watched Duke from the shadows as he helped pass out the food to those who were in need of the food. Duke could have kept some of the food but he didn't. Duke handed it all out to those who needed it, even Duke's own stomach growled for the bread he passed out to the hungry.

He felt sorry for the thief; he could see death's mark upon him. All the food was handed out now, it would be the third day that this thief starved so that others could eat. With his magic, made a loaf of bread in his hand, and walked over to the thief who sat in a corner, trying not to look hungry at the food that was being devoured by the others. "Here, you look hungry." he said as he held the bread out to the thief.

Duke looked at him. "You don't want anything for it?"

"No, now eat it." The necromancer said.

Duke smiled lightly and started to eat the bread. It was not too long after only half of the loaf remained in his hand. Duke held it to him and spoke, "Eat it, you too, need the food, friend,"

"I don't need it, and you haven't eaten for three days."

"If I eat anymore of the bread, I'll become sick and throw it up. It is better if someone eats this half, I'll be sneaking out in the morning to steal more bread for them." Duke said, as he held the bread to him.

The necromancer shrugged and sat beside the thief, and ate some of the bread. "By the edge of the Necromancer territory there is a person seeking out those who could help take down the Saurians. You've managed to evade some of the toughest skeletons and nightmares, I doubt getting around Saurians would be much difference."

Duke looked at the Necromancer in shock. "How did you know about that?"

"I watch and I listen, simple as that."

"Well I doubt I could make a difference, like they said it would take miracle to defeat the Saurians."

"So you don't think you could do it, I know who you are Duke L'Orange and for the World's greatest thief, you really are a coward."

"Fine, I'll check it out, but there are no guarantees." Duke answered, the Necromancer had issued a challenge, if he didn't at least check it out, and his reputation would be crushed.

Duke snuck out late that night and went to where the Necromancer had told him where the person was at only to find a drake standing there. But as he got closer, he noticed something that was weird about this drake. Was the legend true about Drake DuCaine, was this drake who stood before him was the great Drake DuCaine returned to take back their world from the Saurians?

The drake turned around, much to Duke's surprise the drake was a young adult not an old war veteran. Duke ducked into the shadows, drones were coming, the drake only stood there patiently, and when the drones came into view he shot every last one of them down. Duke was impressed but was it worth putting his neck on the line. Duke waited to see what this young drake did.

The Drake turned towards his hiding place in the shadows and spoke, "I see you standing there, if you wish to attack me, then come out and do it now!"

Duke stepped out of the shadows, "I'm not going to attack you, and I just came to see if the rumors were true."

"What rumors?" asked the Drake.

"If that the hero of the past, Drake DuCaine was back to defeat the Saurians?" asked Duke, looking at him.

Canard smiled, "I'm not Drake, I'm Canard and I do plan on defeating the Saurians."

"As in how?" asked Duke, crossing his arms in front of him.

Canard removed the mask from the pouch. "With Drake DuCaine's mask,"

"The legendary Drake DuCaine's mask…how? If you already have it why haven't you done anything about it?"

"Because I can't be everywhere at once, I need to get a team together that can get around the control tower and disable it while I keep Dragaunus busy."

"Then, you got a team member now. I'll get in there and make sure that the locks are picked so the team could move without trouble," Duke said.

Canard smiled, "I have a location underground, where I have some refugees there, and no one can find it as we made it scanner proof and if they did scan it all they find was a toxic storage room. We can move your refugees there tonight if they want to move into our location."

"I'll ask, fair warning there's a Necromancer with them."

"We also have an Ancient with us, but she's too busy tending to the injured ducks to fight with your Necromancer, thief," Canard said.

"Oh the name's not thief, its Duke L'Orange," spoke Duke.

"You are the world's most wanted jewel thief!" Canard exclaimed shocked to see the most wanted jewel thief standing before him.

"The one and only," Duke smirked. "But I do not like what Dragaunus is doing to our world and so I'm stealing the food that they stole from our people and returning them to the people."

"Then, your talents shall be in good use in my strike force, Duke! Come, let us go gather your refugees and get back to base. We have much to deal with. How many Brotherhood members are left?" asked Canard, as they slipped into the shadows of the alley heading towards Duke's camp where the refugees were at.

"So tell me is your Ancient a brown haired woman by the name of Kala?" asked Duke.****

"You saw Kala?" demanded Canard.

"Yeah, she chased me a few weeks before the invasion struck. But I lost her as I fled into the Necromancer area; I knew I would be safe there as no Ancient in their right mind would enter the domain of the Necromancers." Duke said.

"Did you catch sight of her again in the refugees you found?" asked Canard.

"Sorry no, I did take sanctuary in their main Temple in Keltor but the body count was high," Duke said, sadly.

"Were any alive?"

Duke shook his head. "No, I'm sorry; the Saurians killed all of the Ancients in that temple. I did hear that some did escape. I did find one female Ancient with brown hair like you described but she was not breathing,"

Canard knew his sister was dead and he knew he wanted revenge on the Saurians who slew his sister and imprisoned his people. "Let's get your people and get back to my base."

Once they got their belongings together, Canard led them to the underground base that Canard had set up. The soldiers welcomed the refugees and got them to their new bed and those who were ill went to the medics in another section of the hide out, where the Ancient was at.

Stay tuned, the next one is coming.****

© Copyright 2004 Kaladan Flashblade


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